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Finding Gene Kelly
When five-year-old Evie O’Shea married her next-door neighbor in the wedding of the century, she had no idea she was swearing an oath to love the man who would grow into the bane of her existence until the end of time. Or that in ten years time, she’d start a long and winding journey to an eventual endometriosis diagnosis.
Now, aged twenty-six, Evie O’Shea lives in Paris, balancing precariously close to her Charlotte Lucas birthday. A burden to her parents, with no prospects and no money, Evie’s humdrum life needs a shake-up.
Enter Liam Kelly, the man Evie married at the age of five and promptly divorced at seven when he had the audacity to throw a muddy football at her while she was reading Eloise in Paris. Clad in a Henley and equipped with toned forearms and eye crinkles that rival Gene Kelly himself, Evie is determined to keep her ultimate temptation at a distance while she flails wildly navigating life, love, and endometriosis on the banks of the Seine.
But when a family announcement shakes up Evie's world weeks before her brother’s wedding, Evie seeks Liam’s help to get through the wedding with some semblance of sanity intact.
Her request? Fake date.
Making a deal with the Devil always comes with a cost, though, and when Liam’s conditions which include elaborate backstories and practice dates, reignite passions her disease smothered long ago, Evie has to learn to fight for her dreams and break free from her life measured in ibuprofen pills and heating pad settings. Or else risk being alive but never truly living.
Now, aged twenty-six, Evie O’Shea lives in Paris, balancing precariously close to her Charlotte Lucas birthday. A burden to her parents, with no prospects and no money, Evie’s humdrum life needs a shake-up.
Enter Liam Kelly, the man Evie married at the age of five and promptly divorced at seven when he had the audacity to throw a muddy football at her while she was reading Eloise in Paris. Clad in a Henley and equipped with toned forearms and eye crinkles that rival Gene Kelly himself, Evie is determined to keep her ultimate temptation at a distance while she flails wildly navigating life, love, and endometriosis on the banks of the Seine.
But when a family announcement shakes up Evie's world weeks before her brother’s wedding, Evie seeks Liam’s help to get through the wedding with some semblance of sanity intact.
Her request? Fake date.
Making a deal with the Devil always comes with a cost, though, and when Liam’s conditions which include elaborate backstories and practice dates, reignite passions her disease smothered long ago, Evie has to learn to fight for her dreams and break free from her life measured in ibuprofen pills and heating pad settings. Or else risk being alive but never truly living.
433 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 20, 2022
142 people are currently reading
6483 people want to read
About the author
Torie Jean
5 books199 followersTorie Jean's favorite memory growing up is the way her Memere's fingers flew over the keys of her two-tier electric organ, playing songs like "Singin' in the Rain", "I've Got Rhythm", and "What a Wonderful World". Her undying love and affection for the magic and charm of Gene Kelly and Audrey Hepburn followed her from childhood, to a seventh grade book report on a Gene Kelly biography, to studying abroad in Paris and finding "the den of thinking men." Torie is married to her high school sweetheart and is blessed with the best gaggle of nieces and nephews she could ask for. She has had endometriosis for over half of her life now, and hopes to raise more awareness of the disease with her writing, while providing the happily ever afters people with endo deserve.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 520 reviews
December 18, 2025
In a Nutshell: A romance where the FMC has endometriosis. Loved the cover and liked the endometriosis rep. But was bored by the conversation-dominant writing style, the flat plot, and the ad-hoc character development. Very disappointed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
I grabbed this book for three reasons: the cover, Gene Kelly, and endometriosis. These three ended up being the only good things about the book for me. 😕
Bookish Yays:
😍 That adorable cover. I wish I could find a similar pink heart-design umbrella in real life. It’s cheesy but cute!
😍 The endometriosis representation. The most important reason for me to take this book. The author also has endometriosis, so the rep is genuine and informative. I learnt a lot! (Be aware that this goes into TMI territory at times, but I cannot complain about that since that’s probably the reality for many women with endometriosis.)
😍 Gene Kelly! Mentioned not just in the title but also a few times in the book indirectly through references to ‘Singing in the Rain’ and his other movies. Loved the nostalgia!
😍 The heartfelt author's note about the content and trigger warnings at the start of the book. Truly appreciated.
Bookish Okays:
🤔 The location of Paris. (There are some scattered French words here and there. Might be better if you know the basics of the language.) Enjoyed how the city’s depiction was not romantic but realistic and respectful. At the same time, how come almost everyone in the book is an American?
🤔 The intimate scenes. I respect how the details are authentic to the endometriosis experience, but somehow, it felt forced. There’s too much focus on physical “jolts of electricity”.
Bookish Nays:
😒 Evie. I tried hard to sympathise with her for living with a chronic illness without family support and for having a toxic mother, but her unsteady portrayal, her constant hyper-drama (not related to her illness), and her fascination with spray-can cheese made it very difficult to root for her. Her first-person narration sounds more whiny and immature than heartfelt. She judges everyone without hesitation or justification, but gets upset when others judge her – go figure! To top it all, she doesn’t improve till almost the very end.
😒 Liam. Either overly annoying or overly perfect; no in-between. I wish his character felt more realistic.
😒 The remaining characters – flat and one-noted. Everyone seems to have only a single character trait with no layers. Evie’s mother is the worst; there’s no rationale as to why she behaves that way, and her instant ‘transformation’ at the end is without any basis. (On an aside, I was also bugged by Evie’s calling her mother ‘Caroline’. I know people do that in real life at times, but it often was confusing to remember that Caroline was her mother.)
😒 The random transformation in character behaviour, whether the leads or some of the supporting cast. Evie’s and Liam’s conversations are full of abrupt switcheroos in emotions, joking one moment and fighting the next with no justifiable reason and never convincing. It felt like drama was being added for the sake of it.
😒 The use of the fake-dating and enemies-to-lovers tropes in this book – utterly unconvincing. As a result of which the romance is also utterly unconvincing. The line between caregiving and romance is stretched thin.
😒 There’s one scene that supposedly happened when Evie (and Liam too, I think) was five. The details in this were just creepy! No five-year-old would behave like that and remember all that!
😒 The plot – so minimal! The book starts with Evie’s bumping into Liam at Paris and the reveal that her brother wants her to be present at his wedding back home. And until the final few chapters, Evie is still in Paris and still planning about what to do for the wedding. The actual story couldn’t have taken more than 50 pages.
😒 Why is the book 400+ pages long! And slow-paced on top of that! No romance needs this length.
😒 Most of the ‘story’ is nothing but extended conversations. This writing style never works for me. I need quality detailing and not meaningless rambling. Here, Evie is a bartender but we don’t even see her actually at work. She is also a blogger but all we get to see is that she took photos for her blog. The whole focus is only on talk, talk, talk, and most of the talking is between Evie and Liam. Frustrating!
😒 With all this communication, you might assume that at least they avoid miscommunication. Wrong!
😒 The repetition – the icing on the cake of extended conversations. “I hate him but he's hot and I want to be with him but I don't want to be with him because I hate him but he’s hot…” – on and on and on, ad nauseum. Equally irksome was the overuse of Liam’s nickname for Evie – ‘Peaches’. (125 occurrences of Peaches in a single book! Does almost every dialogue need to have the nickname?) The chapter structures are also somewhat repetitive, with almost every chapter following a similar flow between the past and the present, sandwiched by some appeals of Paris.
😒 The ubiquitous double-entendres. The puns cover not just food metaphors but also risqué phrases. These are a bit funny, but after a point, they just get irritating because of the frequency. No one speaks in puns all the time! The chapter titles are a mix of donut puns and classic pop hits – again, gets repetitive after a while, especially as I didn’t see the point of this.
😒 The attempt at humour. Just doesn’t work with this kind of a plotline. It was a serious story with an important focus, then why attempt to bring in somewhat slapstick-style comic scenes? It felt like the writing tried too hard to be impressive, but this failed, at least for me.
Overall, I disliked the book just as much as I loved the cover, and had it not been a ARC, I might have DNFed it as well. I never thought it would go so poorly for me, especially given its theme. But knowing the characters well is essential in every genre, and especially in romance if we have to root for the lead pair to get together and see them happy with each other. That is where this ‘romance’ lacked most credibility. The connection simply didn’t feel genuine.
Of course, one big reason for my boredom was the conversation-dominated storytelling, which I absolutely hate. If this is not a major factor for you, you might still like to give this a go. I hope you enjoy it better if you do.
I still appreciate the attempt at spreading awareness of endometriosis and how it goes far beyond what most people know. All the stars I have given below are for this attempt. We need more books about endo warriors, but let’s please not make them so immature and rude! Just because a person has endometriosis doesn’t mean they can get away with faulty behaviour.
1 star.
My thanks to Sunset and Camden Creative for providing the DRC of “Finding Gene Kelly” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this went so poorly for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Twenty-seven-year old Evie has been staying in Paris since seven years, hoping to fulfil her dream of having a bakery but struggling with her chronic pain and endometriosis. She keeps her distance from her family back home, especially her toxic mother Caroline. When an upcoming event needs her presence back in Massachusetts, Evie is forced to convince her childhood nemesis Liam Kelly to be her fake date so as to get through the wedding without too many barbs from Caroline. Little does she realise that her suppressed feelings for Liam will get in the way of this pretend relationship.
The story comes to us in Evie’s first-person perspective.
I grabbed this book for three reasons: the cover, Gene Kelly, and endometriosis. These three ended up being the only good things about the book for me. 😕
Bookish Yays:
😍 That adorable cover. I wish I could find a similar pink heart-design umbrella in real life. It’s cheesy but cute!
😍 The endometriosis representation. The most important reason for me to take this book. The author also has endometriosis, so the rep is genuine and informative. I learnt a lot! (Be aware that this goes into TMI territory at times, but I cannot complain about that since that’s probably the reality for many women with endometriosis.)
😍 Gene Kelly! Mentioned not just in the title but also a few times in the book indirectly through references to ‘Singing in the Rain’ and his other movies. Loved the nostalgia!
😍 The heartfelt author's note about the content and trigger warnings at the start of the book. Truly appreciated.
Bookish Okays:
🤔 The location of Paris. (There are some scattered French words here and there. Might be better if you know the basics of the language.) Enjoyed how the city’s depiction was not romantic but realistic and respectful. At the same time, how come almost everyone in the book is an American?
🤔 The intimate scenes. I respect how the details are authentic to the endometriosis experience, but somehow, it felt forced. There’s too much focus on physical “jolts of electricity”.
Bookish Nays:
😒 Evie. I tried hard to sympathise with her for living with a chronic illness without family support and for having a toxic mother, but her unsteady portrayal, her constant hyper-drama (not related to her illness), and her fascination with spray-can cheese made it very difficult to root for her. Her first-person narration sounds more whiny and immature than heartfelt. She judges everyone without hesitation or justification, but gets upset when others judge her – go figure! To top it all, she doesn’t improve till almost the very end.
😒 Liam. Either overly annoying or overly perfect; no in-between. I wish his character felt more realistic.
😒 The remaining characters – flat and one-noted. Everyone seems to have only a single character trait with no layers. Evie’s mother is the worst; there’s no rationale as to why she behaves that way, and her instant ‘transformation’ at the end is without any basis. (On an aside, I was also bugged by Evie’s calling her mother ‘Caroline’. I know people do that in real life at times, but it often was confusing to remember that Caroline was her mother.)
😒 The random transformation in character behaviour, whether the leads or some of the supporting cast. Evie’s and Liam’s conversations are full of abrupt switcheroos in emotions, joking one moment and fighting the next with no justifiable reason and never convincing. It felt like drama was being added for the sake of it.
😒 The use of the fake-dating and enemies-to-lovers tropes in this book – utterly unconvincing. As a result of which the romance is also utterly unconvincing. The line between caregiving and romance is stretched thin.
😒 There’s one scene that supposedly happened when Evie (and Liam too, I think) was five. The details in this were just creepy! No five-year-old would behave like that and remember all that!
😒 The plot – so minimal! The book starts with Evie’s bumping into Liam at Paris and the reveal that her brother wants her to be present at his wedding back home. And until the final few chapters, Evie is still in Paris and still planning about what to do for the wedding. The actual story couldn’t have taken more than 50 pages.
😒 Why is the book 400+ pages long! And slow-paced on top of that! No romance needs this length.
😒 Most of the ‘story’ is nothing but extended conversations. This writing style never works for me. I need quality detailing and not meaningless rambling. Here, Evie is a bartender but we don’t even see her actually at work. She is also a blogger but all we get to see is that she took photos for her blog. The whole focus is only on talk, talk, talk, and most of the talking is between Evie and Liam. Frustrating!
😒 With all this communication, you might assume that at least they avoid miscommunication. Wrong!
😒 The repetition – the icing on the cake of extended conversations. “I hate him but he's hot and I want to be with him but I don't want to be with him because I hate him but he’s hot…” – on and on and on, ad nauseum. Equally irksome was the overuse of Liam’s nickname for Evie – ‘Peaches’. (125 occurrences of Peaches in a single book! Does almost every dialogue need to have the nickname?) The chapter structures are also somewhat repetitive, with almost every chapter following a similar flow between the past and the present, sandwiched by some appeals of Paris.
😒 The ubiquitous double-entendres. The puns cover not just food metaphors but also risqué phrases. These are a bit funny, but after a point, they just get irritating because of the frequency. No one speaks in puns all the time! The chapter titles are a mix of donut puns and classic pop hits – again, gets repetitive after a while, especially as I didn’t see the point of this.
😒 The attempt at humour. Just doesn’t work with this kind of a plotline. It was a serious story with an important focus, then why attempt to bring in somewhat slapstick-style comic scenes? It felt like the writing tried too hard to be impressive, but this failed, at least for me.
Overall, I disliked the book just as much as I loved the cover, and had it not been a ARC, I might have DNFed it as well. I never thought it would go so poorly for me, especially given its theme. But knowing the characters well is essential in every genre, and especially in romance if we have to root for the lead pair to get together and see them happy with each other. That is where this ‘romance’ lacked most credibility. The connection simply didn’t feel genuine.
Of course, one big reason for my boredom was the conversation-dominated storytelling, which I absolutely hate. If this is not a major factor for you, you might still like to give this a go. I hope you enjoy it better if you do.
I still appreciate the attempt at spreading awareness of endometriosis and how it goes far beyond what most people know. All the stars I have given below are for this attempt. We need more books about endo warriors, but let’s please not make them so immature and rude! Just because a person has endometriosis doesn’t mean they can get away with faulty behaviour.
1 star.
My thanks to Sunset and Camden Creative for providing the DRC of “Finding Gene Kelly” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this went so poorly for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
October 2, 2022
Bookstagram | Facebook | Booktok
Thank you so much to Torie Jean and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book! 🤗♥️
Being honest, I first was interested in the book because of its pink, cute and romantic cover (it's one of the best covers i've ever seen for romance ever). Seeing that the main character had endometriosis was the perfect plus.
Boy, did the book surpass my expectations.
The first thing that told me this was a great book was the trigger warning the author put at the beginning. It sounded like an honestly concerned best friend taking care of you, and I appreciate that. Not many authors have the kindness to look for the mental health of readers.
I cannot be thankful enough for the endo and the plus size representation too. It was an accurate example of the struggles and the reality of endo and other chronic illnesses in everyday life, how difficult is to survive day after day, and both the bs other ignorant people spill and the true love other people will give you regardless of your health condition. Endo and other chronic illnesses are a part of the medical environment and society that people want to hide and underestimate, while they're important and should be taken seriously and normalized.
I loved the amount of memes, puns and hilarious scenes that helped both the main character and me to cope with the difficulty of endo described in these pages.
Sometimes the pace was a little slow, and I had the sensation that this book could have been a little shorter, but other greater characteristics compensate it.
However, it rubs me the wrong way that it is implied that Evie can be unapologetically plus size and eat whatever she wants (as she should) while it is seen with good eyes that Liam resorted to restrictive eating to impress Evie. You can't fight diet culture while normalizing it at the same time, it's a double standard. It doesn't matter if it's a woman, a man or another non-binary person, diet culture shouldn't be promoted in any case.
This was a really beautiful and inspiring romance, which encourages us to follow our dreams despite the challenging circumstances, and the importance of mental health and the good people that surround us, full of cheesy but heart-warming moments.
I usually don't like comparisons between books but, If you enjoy Ali Hazelwood's, I think this is your book.
Thank you so much to Torie Jean and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book! 🤗♥️
Being honest, I first was interested in the book because of its pink, cute and romantic cover (it's one of the best covers i've ever seen for romance ever). Seeing that the main character had endometriosis was the perfect plus.
Boy, did the book surpass my expectations.
The first thing that told me this was a great book was the trigger warning the author put at the beginning. It sounded like an honestly concerned best friend taking care of you, and I appreciate that. Not many authors have the kindness to look for the mental health of readers.
I cannot be thankful enough for the endo and the plus size representation too. It was an accurate example of the struggles and the reality of endo and other chronic illnesses in everyday life, how difficult is to survive day after day, and both the bs other ignorant people spill and the true love other people will give you regardless of your health condition. Endo and other chronic illnesses are a part of the medical environment and society that people want to hide and underestimate, while they're important and should be taken seriously and normalized.
I loved the amount of memes, puns and hilarious scenes that helped both the main character and me to cope with the difficulty of endo described in these pages.
Sometimes the pace was a little slow, and I had the sensation that this book could have been a little shorter, but other greater characteristics compensate it.
However, it rubs me the wrong way that it is implied that Evie can be unapologetically plus size and eat whatever she wants (as she should) while it is seen with good eyes that Liam resorted to restrictive eating to impress Evie. You can't fight diet culture while normalizing it at the same time, it's a double standard. It doesn't matter if it's a woman, a man or another non-binary person, diet culture shouldn't be promoted in any case.
This was a really beautiful and inspiring romance, which encourages us to follow our dreams despite the challenging circumstances, and the importance of mental health and the good people that surround us, full of cheesy but heart-warming moments.
I usually don't like comparisons between books but, If you enjoy Ali Hazelwood's, I think this is your book.
September 20, 2022
I've been waiting for this book ever since Bree from In Love And Words shared it with me because the heroine has endometriosis.
This is Evie and Liam's love story, but it is also a story of Evie learning to love herself completely and accept her life as beautiful with her chronic illness.
Liam is the supportive, adoring hero we dream of. Full of charm and tenderness and willing to do ANYTHING for Evie.
Evie is funny and brave, though she struggles with insecurities. I loved watching her character arc.
This book was so lovely, quirky, charming, and sweet. The romance will give you the butterflies and the setting will have you wishing for a Paris vacation.
This book means something very special to me. I saw myself in Evie on every page and I could relate to her story on nearly every level. I love and appreciate how the author didn't shy away from the painful, less glamorous side of endometriosis and instead used them to bring light to this painful disease so many women struggle with.
I loved every page and think this author has tremendous talent. Very much looking forward to future books by Torie!
I received an ARC for review
This is Evie and Liam's love story, but it is also a story of Evie learning to love herself completely and accept her life as beautiful with her chronic illness.
Liam is the supportive, adoring hero we dream of. Full of charm and tenderness and willing to do ANYTHING for Evie.
Evie is funny and brave, though she struggles with insecurities. I loved watching her character arc.
This book was so lovely, quirky, charming, and sweet. The romance will give you the butterflies and the setting will have you wishing for a Paris vacation.
This book means something very special to me. I saw myself in Evie on every page and I could relate to her story on nearly every level. I love and appreciate how the author didn't shy away from the painful, less glamorous side of endometriosis and instead used them to bring light to this painful disease so many women struggle with.
I loved every page and think this author has tremendous talent. Very much looking forward to future books by Torie!
I received an ARC for review
December 1, 2022
✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚ HE'S PINING AND PINING HARD!
when i saw hal @ twitter read this and loving it, i wanted to pick it up so badly. i then saw many other stuff about the books, quotes, videos, etc. and i wanted to read it more and more. the whole plot made me so intrigued and i knew it was going to be SUPER CUTE! and let me tell you.... it totally was.
this story is about evie who is currently living in paris. she bumps into her high school nemesis, liam kelly, one night tho and she can't believe it. you pretty much know from the beginning that liam has been in love with her for years. lmao like everyone told him evie wanted to see him and what does he do? he takes the first plane there to see her. BUT THEY TRICKED THEM ANKNJFDNDF either way he's there partly for her and i love seeing a man so in love with someone like yes HE DIDN'T SLEEP FOR DAYS BECAUSE HE KEPT THINKING ABOUT EVIE KISSING HIM lmao i love liam kelly, man.
evie also has endometriosis and it's such a big part of the book. i recommend checking out the content warnings page before you start reading this! evie is living through the ups and downs of the illness and it's sometimes hard. but torie jean really does a wonderful job writing endo rep and <3 this book is everything!
so yeah, if you want a lot fluff, fake dating, paris, high school rivals, read this book!!!! you will want to hug it to your chest and never let it go.
when i saw hal @ twitter read this and loving it, i wanted to pick it up so badly. i then saw many other stuff about the books, quotes, videos, etc. and i wanted to read it more and more. the whole plot made me so intrigued and i knew it was going to be SUPER CUTE! and let me tell you.... it totally was.
this story is about evie who is currently living in paris. she bumps into her high school nemesis, liam kelly, one night tho and she can't believe it. you pretty much know from the beginning that liam has been in love with her for years. lmao like everyone told him evie wanted to see him and what does he do? he takes the first plane there to see her. BUT THEY TRICKED THEM ANKNJFDNDF either way he's there partly for her and i love seeing a man so in love with someone like yes HE DIDN'T SLEEP FOR DAYS BECAUSE HE KEPT THINKING ABOUT EVIE KISSING HIM lmao i love liam kelly, man.
evie also has endometriosis and it's such a big part of the book. i recommend checking out the content warnings page before you start reading this! evie is living through the ups and downs of the illness and it's sometimes hard. but torie jean really does a wonderful job writing endo rep and <3 this book is everything!
so yeah, if you want a lot fluff, fake dating, paris, high school rivals, read this book!!!! you will want to hug it to your chest and never let it go.
September 16, 2022
Tropes: childhood friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, and boy falls first.
What can I say about this book other than I absolutely adored it. From its location, the very dreamy and romantic Paris, to its accurate description of what it’s like to have endometriosis, there wasn’t a single aspect of this book that I didn’t enjoy.
Evie and Liam were neighbours and childhood friends. Evie always had a crush on Liam but every time it seemed like he may feel the same way, miscommunication would occur. Years later, Evie’s brother is getting married and Evie needs a fake boyfriend to impress her mother. Enter Liam, who travelled all the way to Paris to ask Evie to be his date to the wedding. It was so clear that Liam was head over heels for Evie from the start and I loved seeing their relationship develop and grow. Did I mention that the hero is an absolute cinnamon roll who blushes constantly and recreated the heroines favourite movie scene?
This was a delightful book and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars
What can I say about this book other than I absolutely adored it. From its location, the very dreamy and romantic Paris, to its accurate description of what it’s like to have endometriosis, there wasn’t a single aspect of this book that I didn’t enjoy.
Evie and Liam were neighbours and childhood friends. Evie always had a crush on Liam but every time it seemed like he may feel the same way, miscommunication would occur. Years later, Evie’s brother is getting married and Evie needs a fake boyfriend to impress her mother. Enter Liam, who travelled all the way to Paris to ask Evie to be his date to the wedding. It was so clear that Liam was head over heels for Evie from the start and I loved seeing their relationship develop and grow. Did I mention that the hero is an absolute cinnamon roll who blushes constantly and recreated the heroines favourite movie scene?
This was a delightful book and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars
August 30, 2022
The story is so fluffy and sweet. It goes perfectly with the cover.
This book's writing is great given that it is well-written. the book has everything every reader hope for, a childhood-enemies-lover trope, related characters, romance, great development and I like that this story also focus on endometriosis as the female MC, Evie has been struggling with the ills and try to find a right journey for her. It also enlightens us regarding chronic sickness.
Overall, I really love this story! I had a fantastic time immersing myself in the sights, sounds, and aromas of Paris thanks to the imagery. and don't forget a lot of France pastries mention so please hold your craving!
If you like heartwarming story with also very open about the lifelong struggles associated with chronic illness but still it have this magical feel like you are in city of love, I highly recommend this!
Many thanks to Netgalley & Publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for honest review.
This book's writing is great given that it is well-written. the book has everything every reader hope for, a childhood-enemies-lover trope, related characters, romance, great development and I like that this story also focus on endometriosis as the female MC, Evie has been struggling with the ills and try to find a right journey for her. It also enlightens us regarding chronic sickness.
Overall, I really love this story! I had a fantastic time immersing myself in the sights, sounds, and aromas of Paris thanks to the imagery. and don't forget a lot of France pastries mention so please hold your craving!
If you like heartwarming story with also very open about the lifelong struggles associated with chronic illness but still it have this magical feel like you are in city of love, I highly recommend this!
Many thanks to Netgalley & Publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for honest review.
April 12, 2023
4⭐️ so so cute! I loved pretty much everything about this book - the story, the very realistic endo representation and it’s impacts on relationships (the best part IMO, it was so interesting), a curvy protagonist, the elements of family drama, the facts about Paris! However, this is a debut novel and that is definitely evident in some of the writing. I can’t wait for Torie Jean’s next book 🥹❤️
September 12, 2022
I have been SO EXCITED for this book because I too grew up on old movies and also have severe period issues. Like, a main character with endometriosis?? Sign. Me. Up.
But. Unfortunately. Evie isn't the heroine I wanted her to be. The book starts with her on the subway, judging everyone she comes into contact with and her character goes downhill from here. She's judgmental and rude, and because of her chronic illness, her mother's abuse, and Liam's childhood shenanigans, she acts as if she has a free pass on being a decent human being
Don't get me wrong. Her chronic illness, her mother's abuse, and Liam's childhood shenanigans are valid things for her to be upset about. They all affect her and that's super understandable. But. It also doesn't give you an excuse to be a sh*tty person
In short, Evie is miserable. And she's a miserable person to be around. And while illness, abuse, and the like will absolutely affect you and leave you not always the funniest person to be around (been there, still waiting on the t-shirt), you are also accountable for your own actions, always, and lashing out, being someone everyone has to handle with kid gloves because you might freak out at any given moment, and just all around being a nasty person aren't something you get a free pass on
I wanted to love Evie. I did. I made it 21% because I was desperately waiting for her to give me *something* to love about her. Anything
(Also, surprised in all the "my life has been so hard" Evie never mentions it being hard to obtain an Endo diagnosis; I could be wrong, but actually seems like it was a relatively easy diagnosis to recieve. Which. Can be possible. But also not super common, so that surprised me)
There were a few cute scenes in what I read and I did see Liam shaping up to be an interesting character. But none of it was enough to keep me reading, unfortunately...:/
But. Unfortunately. Evie isn't the heroine I wanted her to be. The book starts with her on the subway, judging everyone she comes into contact with and her character goes downhill from here. She's judgmental and rude, and because of her chronic illness, her mother's abuse, and Liam's childhood shenanigans, she acts as if she has a free pass on being a decent human being
Don't get me wrong. Her chronic illness, her mother's abuse, and Liam's childhood shenanigans are valid things for her to be upset about. They all affect her and that's super understandable. But. It also doesn't give you an excuse to be a sh*tty person
In short, Evie is miserable. And she's a miserable person to be around. And while illness, abuse, and the like will absolutely affect you and leave you not always the funniest person to be around (been there, still waiting on the t-shirt), you are also accountable for your own actions, always, and lashing out, being someone everyone has to handle with kid gloves because you might freak out at any given moment, and just all around being a nasty person aren't something you get a free pass on
I wanted to love Evie. I did. I made it 21% because I was desperately waiting for her to give me *something* to love about her. Anything
(Also, surprised in all the "my life has been so hard" Evie never mentions it being hard to obtain an Endo diagnosis; I could be wrong, but actually seems like it was a relatively easy diagnosis to recieve. Which. Can be possible. But also not super common, so that surprised me)
There were a few cute scenes in what I read and I did see Liam shaping up to be an interesting character. But none of it was enough to keep me reading, unfortunately...:/
Want to read
February 1, 2022endo rep romance? let's GOOOOOOO
September 18, 2022
DIDN'T GRAB ME AT FIRST, BUT IT GREW ON ME
Maybe not the most flowing review, but that was really what happened. At first I really struggled with the writing and Evie never really became my favourite, but around the 40% marker I actually started really getting into the book and blew through it quickly.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Liam: I think a lot of readers will be divided on what they make of Liam. Because he was almost too good to be true. Sweet, supportive, patient and understanding. All rolled up into one person. For me, it was just right. But I can understand if others find him slightly unbelievable.
Awareness: Endometriosis is a debilitating condition that what too many (roughly estimated 10% or 190 million women) suffer from. What's especially sad about this condition is how little we know about it, how hard it is to treat and how little we talk about. A friend of mine suffers from endometriosis and it took her years to get diagnosed simply because the (male) doctors didn't believe her and always said she was exaggerating - even though she literally fainted from the pain regularly. I hope that books like this can help raise awareness, especially for women, so they know that they are not alone and that their pain is not an exaggeration or a hysterical reaction on their part.
Growth: Again, I really liked how this book grew on me, slowly but surely. I can't really say what was cause, but all of a sudden I really wanted to see this story through to the end.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Writing: At first I very nearly DNF'ed this book solely because of the writing. It was just all over the place. It felt very rambling and it really didn't sit well with me.
Evie: While I have great sympathy for the pain Evie goes through on a regular basis, I found her really unlikable. She was quite juvenile. She held grudges far longer than was necessary or warranted - especially when she never gave the object of her grudge any change to explain themselves. It was just really childish. And the saddest part was... I didn't see any real growth in her throughout the story...
Resolution: Evie has a very toxic and manipulative mother. I actually found their relationship interesting and relatable right up until the end.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Maybe not the most flowing review, but that was really what happened. At first I really struggled with the writing and Evie never really became my favourite, but around the 40% marker I actually started really getting into the book and blew through it quickly.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Liam: I think a lot of readers will be divided on what they make of Liam. Because he was almost too good to be true. Sweet, supportive, patient and understanding. All rolled up into one person. For me, it was just right. But I can understand if others find him slightly unbelievable.
Awareness: Endometriosis is a debilitating condition that what too many (roughly estimated 10% or 190 million women) suffer from. What's especially sad about this condition is how little we know about it, how hard it is to treat and how little we talk about. A friend of mine suffers from endometriosis and it took her years to get diagnosed simply because the (male) doctors didn't believe her and always said she was exaggerating - even though she literally fainted from the pain regularly. I hope that books like this can help raise awareness, especially for women, so they know that they are not alone and that their pain is not an exaggeration or a hysterical reaction on their part.
Growth: Again, I really liked how this book grew on me, slowly but surely. I can't really say what was cause, but all of a sudden I really wanted to see this story through to the end.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Writing: At first I very nearly DNF'ed this book solely because of the writing. It was just all over the place. It felt very rambling and it really didn't sit well with me.
Evie: While I have great sympathy for the pain Evie goes through on a regular basis, I found her really unlikable. She was quite juvenile. She held grudges far longer than was necessary or warranted - especially when she never gave the object of her grudge any change to explain themselves. It was just really childish. And the saddest part was... I didn't see any real growth in her throughout the story...
Resolution: Evie has a very toxic and manipulative mother. I actually found their relationship interesting and relatable right up until the end.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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January 25, 2024
Literally nothing but contempt for this book 😭. Evie is such an intolerable main character. She’s so self-absorbed and generally just a miserable person to be around? And the writing is so flat and copy-and-paste. Literally the most boring and uninteresting novel I’ve ever read, you can tell the author was going for a quirky humorous vibe but the only jokes ever made are the MC deprecating herself and talking about how much food she eats. We all love food. Food is great. Doesn’t mean you need to make it your whole personality. Ouuuu blegh my life is horrible at least I can eat donuts in my galaxy print leggings and mustache tshirt :3
Also this shit is so CORNY. The writing ACTUALLY could not be worse😭 Evie, I’m in love with you, I always have been 🥺 shut your grown ass up omg just get a JAWB. AND THE WAY SHE SAYS “I love you” LIKE FIVE TIMES AND SHES LIKE “ohmyfuckinggodicantbelieveijustsaidthatomg” EVRRY time? and he just doesn’t say it back it’s actually so funny. And im sorry but the mommy issues trope was so strung out😭 like great but whatever
And the talking about memories she had of Liam girl YOU DONT REMEMBER THAT SHIT OMGG. There’s this one specific scene where she’s talking about the first time they met when she was five and she was like “I remember his eyes sliding towards me 🥺” NO YOU DONT YOURE TWENTY SEVEN BITCH😭😭
OUU I’m looking back on my notes and On page THIRTY TWO it starts off with a banger “No one needs to know I’m sick of the rain.” Yeah well too bad no one would fucking care anyway all you do is complain girlfriend😭 and she also says “I’m not going to let my pity party affect those around me” and then proceeds to do that the whole book like omfg u actually piss me OFF I NEEDED TO SEE HER ASS GET HUMBLED BAD!
Also this shit is so CORNY. The writing ACTUALLY could not be worse😭 Evie, I’m in love with you, I always have been 🥺 shut your grown ass up omg just get a JAWB. AND THE WAY SHE SAYS “I love you” LIKE FIVE TIMES AND SHES LIKE “ohmyfuckinggodicantbelieveijustsaidthatomg” EVRRY time? and he just doesn’t say it back it’s actually so funny. And im sorry but the mommy issues trope was so strung out😭 like great but whatever
And the talking about memories she had of Liam girl YOU DONT REMEMBER THAT SHIT OMGG. There’s this one specific scene where she’s talking about the first time they met when she was five and she was like “I remember his eyes sliding towards me 🥺” NO YOU DONT YOURE TWENTY SEVEN BITCH😭😭
OUU I’m looking back on my notes and On page THIRTY TWO it starts off with a banger “No one needs to know I’m sick of the rain.” Yeah well too bad no one would fucking care anyway all you do is complain girlfriend😭 and she also says “I’m not going to let my pity party affect those around me” and then proceeds to do that the whole book like omfg u actually piss me OFF I NEEDED TO SEE HER ASS GET HUMBLED BAD!
September 29, 2022
This book was so charming! I enjoyed the banter between the main characters. Their love story was so sweet and swoony. It had me laughing at times and close to tears as well. Paris was the perfect location, it really set the romantic tones of the book. Loved it!
April 19, 2024
3.75 stars
August 30, 2022
The story is so fluffy and sweet. It goes perfectly with the cover.
This book's writing is great given that it is well-written. the book has everything every reader hope for, a childhood-enemies-lover trope, related characters, romance, great development and I like that this story also focus on endometriosis as the female MC, Evie has been struggling with the ills and try to find a right journey for her. It also enlightens us regarding chronic sickness.
Overall, I really love this story! I had a fantastic time immersing myself in the sights, sounds, and aromas of Paris thanks to the imagery. and don't forget a lot of France pastries mention so please hold your craving!
If you like heartwarming story with also very open about the lifelong struggles associated with chronic illness but still it have this magical feel like you are in city of love, I highly recommend this!
Many thanks to Netgalley & Publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for honest review.
This book's writing is great given that it is well-written. the book has everything every reader hope for, a childhood-enemies-lover trope, related characters, romance, great development and I like that this story also focus on endometriosis as the female MC, Evie has been struggling with the ills and try to find a right journey for her. It also enlightens us regarding chronic sickness.
Overall, I really love this story! I had a fantastic time immersing myself in the sights, sounds, and aromas of Paris thanks to the imagery. and don't forget a lot of France pastries mention so please hold your craving!
If you like heartwarming story with also very open about the lifelong struggles associated with chronic illness but still it have this magical feel like you are in city of love, I highly recommend this!
Many thanks to Netgalley & Publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for honest review.
September 20, 2022
Tropes:
- besties to enemies to friends to lovers
- brother’s best friend
- fake dating
- second chance, kinda
- miscommunication
Finding Gene Kelly is an absolute fluff fest that had me swooning over Liam one minute and sobbing over Evie battling her chronic pain and heartache over her endo the next.
Liam is an absolute dreamboat, and I loved his tenacity when it came down to showing how much he truly did care for Evie. These two seriously killed me with the hate flirting, hilarious banter and bad puns, and all the sweet moments between them.
This was seriously the best.
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the arc!
- besties to enemies to friends to lovers
- brother’s best friend
- fake dating
- second chance, kinda
- miscommunication
Finding Gene Kelly is an absolute fluff fest that had me swooning over Liam one minute and sobbing over Evie battling her chronic pain and heartache over her endo the next.
Liam is an absolute dreamboat, and I loved his tenacity when it came down to showing how much he truly did care for Evie. These two seriously killed me with the hate flirting, hilarious banter and bad puns, and all the sweet moments between them.
This was seriously the best.
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the arc!
August 26, 2022
“Nana said taking care of you is my full-time job now.”“Like forever?”“Guess so.” He shrugged, running a piece of ribbon from the crown through his fingers. “But I don’t mind.”
I absolutely loved this story because I had tears streaming out of my eyes while I was reading certain parts of this book. It bought out so many emotions like love, laughter, sadness and joy. I can honestly say that after reading this book, I'll pick up every other book that Torie Jean would write. The subject that Evie has to deal with (endometriosis) was really truthfully portrayed and the way Liam always took care of her so selflessly, made me swoon hard. This was a very special book for me with major feels, such a good banter, humour and sometimes it broke my heart but seeing Liam & Evie fall in love harder, put the pieces back together! The cover made it seem like a lighthearted book but it was so much more than that. It had substance, a well constructed plot and great side characters. Liam made me swoon hard and Evie was just my favourite character ever! I loved her snark and vulnerability and I loved how determined Liam was to finally get her to see what had always been brewing between them since they were five. And all their scenes when they were reminiscing about Evie's Nana were so heartwarming. I have zero complaints from this book which made it a perfect five star read! It touched me in a way that most other books rarely do and I was so interested because of the topic that was regarded. This book was a pleasently delightful surprise, my heart ached for Evie when she was struggling to deal with her condition but having Liam by her side surely made me feel ecstatic!
“Trust me— my fantasies of you aren’t weird.” Open mouth. Wince. Repeat. He quirks an eyebrow. “Good to know.”“They’re . . . bloody.”
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
I absolutely loved this story because I had tears streaming out of my eyes while I was reading certain parts of this book. It bought out so many emotions like love, laughter, sadness and joy. I can honestly say that after reading this book, I'll pick up every other book that Torie Jean would write. The subject that Evie has to deal with (endometriosis) was really truthfully portrayed and the way Liam always took care of her so selflessly, made me swoon hard. This was a very special book for me with major feels, such a good banter, humour and sometimes it broke my heart but seeing Liam & Evie fall in love harder, put the pieces back together! The cover made it seem like a lighthearted book but it was so much more than that. It had substance, a well constructed plot and great side characters. Liam made me swoon hard and Evie was just my favourite character ever! I loved her snark and vulnerability and I loved how determined Liam was to finally get her to see what had always been brewing between them since they were five. And all their scenes when they were reminiscing about Evie's Nana were so heartwarming. I have zero complaints from this book which made it a perfect five star read! It touched me in a way that most other books rarely do and I was so interested because of the topic that was regarded. This book was a pleasently delightful surprise, my heart ached for Evie when she was struggling to deal with her condition but having Liam by her side surely made me feel ecstatic!
“Trust me— my fantasies of you aren’t weird.” Open mouth. Wince. Repeat. He quirks an eyebrow. “Good to know.”“They’re . . . bloody.”
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
October 1, 2022
4.5
it took me a little bit to get into this one but after I did I thought it was so adorable
the random 1 chapter where they book up then the next chapter they were back together seemed really out of place and like the author just threw it in there because every romance book has some conflict and break up time before the hea, I thought it was really pointless and they could have just talked it out if the fmc expressed her feelings about everything like liam did, this is the reason for the 0.5 star knock off plus taking a little to get into the book.
it took me a little bit to get into this one but after I did I thought it was so adorable
the random 1 chapter where they book up then the next chapter they were back together seemed really out of place and like the author just threw it in there because every romance book has some conflict and break up time before the hea, I thought it was really pointless and they could have just talked it out if the fmc expressed her feelings about everything like liam did, this is the reason for the 0.5 star knock off plus taking a little to get into the book.
July 7, 2023
DON’T SLEEP ON THIS.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
Like I almost did!? Definitely should have picked this up sooner because I enjoyed the heck out of it. This was a unique romance that had things I don’t regularly see and I felt the impact of that and all of the emotions.
I adored Evie. She is doing her best and you continually see that. I also loved seeing how good a friend she is to those close to her and her overall growth. I understood her initial gruffness with Liam and the thoughts surrounding that situation. BUT, the best part was that (before it was stretched on too long) you could see Evie have some productive thoughts about change. About seeing Liam’s side of the story and finally letting some of the past go.
Liam and Evie were gosh dang sweet and the childhood friends to lovers, second chance scenario had me clutching my chest. THE FEELS. Liam has clearly loved Evie for so long and I loooooooved him. The way he handled things, the charm her provided and how cute he was doing things for Evie. They are without a doubt a match. Even with the third act, I thought it made sense for the characters and story and, even better, not intensely drama filled. Add a little grand gesture at the end and I was smitten from start to finish.
I loved the way chronic illness and pain was discussed and approached. I loved the real way everything felt and the sentiments that hit so many of us. Such a beautiful read and I can’t wait for more now!
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: a few almost scenes
- Violence: low
- Trigger/Content Warnings: endometriosis, toxic Mom, ableism, anxiety and panic attacks, fatphobia
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
Like I almost did!? Definitely should have picked this up sooner because I enjoyed the heck out of it. This was a unique romance that had things I don’t regularly see and I felt the impact of that and all of the emotions.
I adored Evie. She is doing her best and you continually see that. I also loved seeing how good a friend she is to those close to her and her overall growth. I understood her initial gruffness with Liam and the thoughts surrounding that situation. BUT, the best part was that (before it was stretched on too long) you could see Evie have some productive thoughts about change. About seeing Liam’s side of the story and finally letting some of the past go.
Liam and Evie were gosh dang sweet and the childhood friends to lovers, second chance scenario had me clutching my chest. THE FEELS. Liam has clearly loved Evie for so long and I loooooooved him. The way he handled things, the charm her provided and how cute he was doing things for Evie. They are without a doubt a match. Even with the third act, I thought it made sense for the characters and story and, even better, not intensely drama filled. Add a little grand gesture at the end and I was smitten from start to finish.
I loved the way chronic illness and pain was discussed and approached. I loved the real way everything felt and the sentiments that hit so many of us. Such a beautiful read and I can’t wait for more now!
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: a few almost scenes
- Violence: low
- Trigger/Content Warnings: endometriosis, toxic Mom, ableism, anxiety and panic attacks, fatphobia
September 1, 2022
This was a cute and easy read. People who have experienced chronic pain or illness (especially womens health issues) will enjoy this book. I did not connect with the main character and felt that she was a little too stuck on her “hatred” of Liam - it felt a bit drawn out without any new events to keep it going. Since I cannot relate to the endometriosis portion of the story, I will not comment on its accuracy or relatability. I personally did not love the caregiver trope, but it was written in a way that seemed genuine and natural.
The love interest, Liam, was doting, sexy, and likeable. There wasn’t a single moment where he annoyed me or felt disingenuous.
I wish there was more focus on the mystery postcards containing humorous recounts of “what’s going on back home” because they were witty, cute, and could have enhanced the plot.
There were some things that I really loved about this book and there were a few things I just didn’t connect with. Overall it was a very cute, feel-good contemporary romance with funny dialogue and a very realistic main character. The author tells you how you’re supposed to be feeling, which made for a very easy read.
What I loved:
•Main character’s honest internal dialogue and humorous habits
•Very relatable toxic mother-daughter dynamic
•First “fake” kiss scene was amazing
What I didn’t love:
•Caregiver trope
•Characters seemed to go from enemies to lovers without a natural transition. It felt a bit abrupt.
•The “enemies” part was entirely one-sided, which made the main character seem slightly juvenile
Tropes/Themes:
•Enemies to lovers
•Brother’s best friend
•Toxic mother
•Caregiver
•Fake Dating
Triggers:
•Endometriosis
•Discussion of infertility
•Toxic mother
Synopsis:
Evie, a quirky aspiring pastry chef in Paris feels like everything in her life has gone wrong - her mother is disappointed in her, her business dreams are on hold, and her work visa is about to expire, and she is constantly in pain from her endometriosis. Not to mention - her brother is getting married in a few weeks back in the states, which means Evie must face her mother’s dismay and disapproval. Oh- and Evie’s childhood nemesis, Liam.
Evie’s best friend Eli devised a plan to trick Evie into meeting him at a quaint Parisian restaurant to catch up. Unbeknownst to Evie, her worst nightmare would be there too.
After a cacophony of clumsy mishaps, Evie is forced to confront the boy who broke her heart ten years ago when he stood her up at homecoming. Despite this apparent mutual disdain, they need each other. Evie needs to prove to her mother that she won’t be alone forever and that she is not a failure, and Liam needs… well what does Liam need?
Either way, the pair agrees to attend Evie’s brother’s wedding as a couple. In the coming weeks they “practice” what it’s like to be in love. Although, things aren’t always what they seem, Evie must sort through over 20 years of feelings to discover what she wants, and who she truly is.
The love interest, Liam, was doting, sexy, and likeable. There wasn’t a single moment where he annoyed me or felt disingenuous.
I wish there was more focus on the mystery postcards containing humorous recounts of “what’s going on back home” because they were witty, cute, and could have enhanced the plot.
There were some things that I really loved about this book and there were a few things I just didn’t connect with. Overall it was a very cute, feel-good contemporary romance with funny dialogue and a very realistic main character. The author tells you how you’re supposed to be feeling, which made for a very easy read.
What I loved:
•Main character’s honest internal dialogue and humorous habits
•Very relatable toxic mother-daughter dynamic
•First “fake” kiss scene was amazing
What I didn’t love:
•Caregiver trope
•Characters seemed to go from enemies to lovers without a natural transition. It felt a bit abrupt.
•The “enemies” part was entirely one-sided, which made the main character seem slightly juvenile
Tropes/Themes:
•Enemies to lovers
•Brother’s best friend
•Toxic mother
•Caregiver
•Fake Dating
Triggers:
•Endometriosis
•Discussion of infertility
•Toxic mother
Synopsis:
Evie, a quirky aspiring pastry chef in Paris feels like everything in her life has gone wrong - her mother is disappointed in her, her business dreams are on hold, and her work visa is about to expire, and she is constantly in pain from her endometriosis. Not to mention - her brother is getting married in a few weeks back in the states, which means Evie must face her mother’s dismay and disapproval. Oh- and Evie’s childhood nemesis, Liam.
Evie’s best friend Eli devised a plan to trick Evie into meeting him at a quaint Parisian restaurant to catch up. Unbeknownst to Evie, her worst nightmare would be there too.
After a cacophony of clumsy mishaps, Evie is forced to confront the boy who broke her heart ten years ago when he stood her up at homecoming. Despite this apparent mutual disdain, they need each other. Evie needs to prove to her mother that she won’t be alone forever and that she is not a failure, and Liam needs… well what does Liam need?
Either way, the pair agrees to attend Evie’s brother’s wedding as a couple. In the coming weeks they “practice” what it’s like to be in love. Although, things aren’t always what they seem, Evie must sort through over 20 years of feelings to discover what she wants, and who she truly is.
September 19, 2022
THIS BOOK!!!
I would recommend this book to any romance reader. Usually, I prefer steamy romances. And as the author specifies before chapter one, this is not a steamy book. It handles pretty serious topics/themes: endometriosis, chronic illness/pain, but also themes that I think many others could also relate to, such as having barriers to the sex life they desire, and the sex life they think their partner desires that they worry about being able to fulfill.
I know those topics are heavy, but don’t mistake that for the vibe of this book. The author is extremely skillful at handling those topics while keeping this a fun romance. And I mean, SO FUN!!! I spent the majority of this read laughing out loud. It was a delight to be in Evie’s head - her sarcasm, snark, and wit were so enjoyable.
This book is perfect for someone who loves enemies to lovers or second chance romance tropes. Also, anyone who wants a romance that is heavily influenced by the setting. Whether Evie was in Paris or New England, the author makes you feel right there with her. A truly wonderful book!! Well written and entertaining throughout.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and Torie Jean for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I would recommend this book to any romance reader. Usually, I prefer steamy romances. And as the author specifies before chapter one, this is not a steamy book. It handles pretty serious topics/themes: endometriosis, chronic illness/pain, but also themes that I think many others could also relate to, such as having barriers to the sex life they desire, and the sex life they think their partner desires that they worry about being able to fulfill.
I know those topics are heavy, but don’t mistake that for the vibe of this book. The author is extremely skillful at handling those topics while keeping this a fun romance. And I mean, SO FUN!!! I spent the majority of this read laughing out loud. It was a delight to be in Evie’s head - her sarcasm, snark, and wit were so enjoyable.
This book is perfect for someone who loves enemies to lovers or second chance romance tropes. Also, anyone who wants a romance that is heavily influenced by the setting. Whether Evie was in Paris or New England, the author makes you feel right there with her. A truly wonderful book!! Well written and entertaining throughout.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and Torie Jean for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2023
This weekend is my pretty cover weekend clearly. Another beautiful way to start a new favourite read.
Evie and Liam have known each other since they were five and while they would've probably hoped that their marriage would've lasted, turning seven was the beginning of the end of how close the two would be in the upcoming years. With growing up comes a lot of changes and miscommunication and these two had a ton of that getting in the way of what could've been.
Evie is 27 now, living in Paris, and the last person she ever thought she'd reunite with is the man that let her down so many times. Liam has invaded her new safe space without her knowing and as much as she wants to cling to the past, there is something Liam can do that will help her future a little. The two agree to fake date for her brother's wedding but... we all know where that goes LOL.
<3<3<3<3
Ily. Ilysm. Wowie. I was happy, I was sad, I loved it all. Liam was so sweet and my heart went out to Evie because endo sounds horrendous and Torie did a really great job in portraying how much of a daily struggle it is. There was no "it'll get better" moments, no making light of anything; Torie's portrayal felt true to the struggle. I am, however, not someone who has to go through that kind of chronic pain so I could be wrong. I just did not think anything was glorified at all.
The romance was sweet and patient. I liked watching the two figure out their footing. It just came together so perfectly in the end. I loved it.
Evie and Liam have known each other since they were five and while they would've probably hoped that their marriage would've lasted, turning seven was the beginning of the end of how close the two would be in the upcoming years. With growing up comes a lot of changes and miscommunication and these two had a ton of that getting in the way of what could've been.
Evie is 27 now, living in Paris, and the last person she ever thought she'd reunite with is the man that let her down so many times. Liam has invaded her new safe space without her knowing and as much as she wants to cling to the past, there is something Liam can do that will help her future a little. The two agree to fake date for her brother's wedding but... we all know where that goes LOL.
<3<3<3<3
Ily. Ilysm. Wowie. I was happy, I was sad, I loved it all. Liam was so sweet and my heart went out to Evie because endo sounds horrendous and Torie did a really great job in portraying how much of a daily struggle it is. There was no "it'll get better" moments, no making light of anything; Torie's portrayal felt true to the struggle. I am, however, not someone who has to go through that kind of chronic pain so I could be wrong. I just did not think anything was glorified at all.
The romance was sweet and patient. I liked watching the two figure out their footing. It just came together so perfectly in the end. I loved it.
November 30, 2022
this book was everything 18 year old me needed. I loved Evie and I loved Liam. Evie's insecurities were shown in an amazing way that doesn't feel heavy or forced but simply human and the way Liam remained by her side? It was everything.
A love letter to everything I loved when I was younger with a side of beautiful reminder how our illnesses don't define us.
A love letter to everything I loved when I was younger with a side of beautiful reminder how our illnesses don't define us.
September 21, 2022
Swoony debut
This is the kind of debut that gets me excited about what's next from an author, because there was so much good stuff going on with the story. It's ideal for fans of Elena Armas and Chloe Liese, sort of the perfect combo of both of their vibes - featuring a deliciously smitten hero, bickering that just might be bantering, and a strong focus on living with chronic illness (complete with OwnVoices rep). Sure, the heroine's insecurities grated on my nerves and the miscommunication made me want to shake someone, but those smaller issues were greatly outweighed by the swoony love story at the heart of this. There are so many little tender moments that enriched it, and the history behind this relationship gave it so much extra weight. Plus, the hero is almost too good to be true - I loved him. It's a well developed and one-of-a-kind love story that makes a phenomenal debut.
The story follows Evie, a woman who lives with endometriosis. It's a chronic illness that impacts her daily life, and it also seems to be getting in the way of her dreams. Not only has Evie's dream of opening a bakery been sidelined, but she also resists relationships - she doesn't want to be a burden. So when the man who has driven her crazy since childhood shows up in her current hometown of Paris, it's a shock to the system. Evie hasn't seen Liam in years, but she hasn't forgotten the way he's broken her heart... or the way she still crushes on him. But the years seem to have changed Liam, and it's not long before he's assuming the role of her fake boyfriend. Pretending to be in love with the man you've been pretending NOT to be in love with for years is complicated, and that's before you add Liam's feelings into the equation.
If you loved the dynamic in The Spanish Love Deception or The Hating Game, then this should be right up your alley. Though the story is told exclusively from Evie's POV, it's easy to see that she might just be getting everything wrong. That's also partially why the story is frustrating; not only is Evie dealing with a chronic illness that significantly impacts her every day, but she also refuses to see what is right in front of her. Her insecurities and self-doubt kinda drove me crazy after awhile, I will fully admit that. But Liam makes it SO easy to root for the relationship; he is such a dream guy, and I could feel how deeply he loved Evie. Evie's health is front and center throughout the story, which might be tough for some readers, but it adds a layer of realness and depth that surely enhances the experience. The writing itself is a little rough (this is a debut, after all), but filled with so much potential that it was easy to overlook small things. Honestly, there's a ton that I loved about this - which is why a 5-star rating was the obvious choice.
This is the kind of debut that gets me excited about what's next from an author, because there was so much good stuff going on with the story. It's ideal for fans of Elena Armas and Chloe Liese, sort of the perfect combo of both of their vibes - featuring a deliciously smitten hero, bickering that just might be bantering, and a strong focus on living with chronic illness (complete with OwnVoices rep). Sure, the heroine's insecurities grated on my nerves and the miscommunication made me want to shake someone, but those smaller issues were greatly outweighed by the swoony love story at the heart of this. There are so many little tender moments that enriched it, and the history behind this relationship gave it so much extra weight. Plus, the hero is almost too good to be true - I loved him. It's a well developed and one-of-a-kind love story that makes a phenomenal debut.
The story follows Evie, a woman who lives with endometriosis. It's a chronic illness that impacts her daily life, and it also seems to be getting in the way of her dreams. Not only has Evie's dream of opening a bakery been sidelined, but she also resists relationships - she doesn't want to be a burden. So when the man who has driven her crazy since childhood shows up in her current hometown of Paris, it's a shock to the system. Evie hasn't seen Liam in years, but she hasn't forgotten the way he's broken her heart... or the way she still crushes on him. But the years seem to have changed Liam, and it's not long before he's assuming the role of her fake boyfriend. Pretending to be in love with the man you've been pretending NOT to be in love with for years is complicated, and that's before you add Liam's feelings into the equation.
If you loved the dynamic in The Spanish Love Deception or The Hating Game, then this should be right up your alley. Though the story is told exclusively from Evie's POV, it's easy to see that she might just be getting everything wrong. That's also partially why the story is frustrating; not only is Evie dealing with a chronic illness that significantly impacts her every day, but she also refuses to see what is right in front of her. Her insecurities and self-doubt kinda drove me crazy after awhile, I will fully admit that. But Liam makes it SO easy to root for the relationship; he is such a dream guy, and I could feel how deeply he loved Evie. Evie's health is front and center throughout the story, which might be tough for some readers, but it adds a layer of realness and depth that surely enhances the experience. The writing itself is a little rough (this is a debut, after all), but filled with so much potential that it was easy to overlook small things. Honestly, there's a ton that I loved about this - which is why a 5-star rating was the obvious choice.
September 29, 2022
I absolutely ADORED this childhood friends to enemies to lovers debut indie romance set mainly in Paris. Liam was the boy next door and Evie's brother's best friend who ghosted her on an important night in high school. Now years later Evie is living her best life in Paris only to run unexpectedly into Liam (and a pole).
Full of incredible found family, a TON of cheesey puns and amazing endometriosis rep. I loved getting to know Evie and better understanding what she goes through living with endo and chronic pain. I thought the author did such a good job writing about her experiences and you can definitely tell this was a personal story in that regard.
Liam was swooney and oh so supportive, especially as Evie struggles with intimacy that doesn't cause her pain and a toxic relationship with her mother. I'm a sucker for a good he falls first, secret pining and sweet gestures and this book delivered all of that to perfection!
Recommended for fans of books like Home is where you are by Melissa Grace or The Paris syndrome by Elliot Fletcher. This book truly hit so many high notes for me and I can't wait to see what's next from Torie Jean! Much thanks to NetGalley and the author for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
⚠️CW: chronic pain, endometriosis, toxic parental relationship
Full of incredible found family, a TON of cheesey puns and amazing endometriosis rep. I loved getting to know Evie and better understanding what she goes through living with endo and chronic pain. I thought the author did such a good job writing about her experiences and you can definitely tell this was a personal story in that regard.
Liam was swooney and oh so supportive, especially as Evie struggles with intimacy that doesn't cause her pain and a toxic relationship with her mother. I'm a sucker for a good he falls first, secret pining and sweet gestures and this book delivered all of that to perfection!
Recommended for fans of books like Home is where you are by Melissa Grace or The Paris syndrome by Elliot Fletcher. This book truly hit so many high notes for me and I can't wait to see what's next from Torie Jean! Much thanks to NetGalley and the author for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
⚠️CW: chronic pain, endometriosis, toxic parental relationship
June 24, 2023
I really wanted to love this, and I’m debating even now giving it 4 stars, but ultimately it’s a 3 star read. This review is kind of all over the place, bear with me.
I got a sample before downloading and I really enjoyed the beginning and the writing style. It captivated me, and I really love stories that take place in Paris.
I am not a huge fan of childhood friends to enemies to lovers. What I liked about this one is that the flashbacks weren’t overwhelming and were kind of just told within the current story rather than have flashback chapters.
Now to the main character, Evie. I started out liking her, but quickly it kind of started to go downhill for me. I really liked there was endometriosis rep in this, but it’s literally her whole personality. She also comes across so self centered, her friends constantly have to baby her. She likes puns and cheese and old movies, and she’s always in pain. And because of the pain and the emotional abuse from her mom, she comes off very.. off putting at times.
I feel like that’s so mean to say, and she does have good moments, but idk, it started to really irritate me when she’d be judgmental toward someone random or jumped to constant conclusions.
And the jumping to conclusions in regard to Liam is constant. Basically their entire relationship is miscommunication. Now, Liam is pretty great. You can instantly tell that man has it bad for her. And he goes above and beyond for her. In their past, he doesn’t really flirt in a nice way i guess, so she always thought he was pranking her and makes a lot of conclusions about that too.
But it did lead me to questions that I kind of got answered at the very end, with his two POV chapters. At the start of the book, it’s been i think 5-6 years since they’ve last seen each other. She hasn’t been back home in that time, they haven’t knowingly kept in touch. I always question what takes a man so long to admit his feelings, and Liam had his own issues he needed to work through. But idk, the amount of time that passed without contact didn’t fully make sense to me if he’d been SO in love with her as he claimed.
In his POV chapter, we do see that after she leaves to Paris, he wants to try to forget her bc he’s unsure she’ll ever see him like he sees her. Which leads to the tiny bit of OW drama that occurs.
At a bachelorette party for her brothers fiancée, they run into Kylie, who was Liam’s FWB. Kylie mentions that she knew he was emotionally unavailable but convinced him to be her FWB and that the sex was great. 😐 I’m sorry, but in my romance books I don’t want it to be realistic and know about the H’s previous sex life. I get now that he never thought he’d have a chance with the fmc (BC OF MISCOMMUNICATION!!!) but still. At that point i thought he’d been pining for years (which he was). The fmc is disappointed bc she has so much pain that she can’t have pleasuring sex. Before this chapter, she tried with him and they had to stop bc she was in so much pain. So it was really just another cherry on top of their issues.
I just felt like there were so many other issues that were going to lead up to the third act break up, that this tidbit was unnecessary and it just made me really sad. Especially since she’s only had sex with one other guy, 5 years before this point, and was again in so much pain that nothing really happened.
I’m writing too much but I had a lot of feelings lol. Anyway, the ending was kinda cute but there’s months of separation that I didn’t love. I’m glad she finally got therapy, she desperately needed it to realize her chronic illness is not her. Sadly i think the character growth came a little too late.
I got a sample before downloading and I really enjoyed the beginning and the writing style. It captivated me, and I really love stories that take place in Paris.
I am not a huge fan of childhood friends to enemies to lovers. What I liked about this one is that the flashbacks weren’t overwhelming and were kind of just told within the current story rather than have flashback chapters.
Now to the main character, Evie. I started out liking her, but quickly it kind of started to go downhill for me. I really liked there was endometriosis rep in this, but it’s literally her whole personality. She also comes across so self centered, her friends constantly have to baby her. She likes puns and cheese and old movies, and she’s always in pain. And because of the pain and the emotional abuse from her mom, she comes off very.. off putting at times.
I feel like that’s so mean to say, and she does have good moments, but idk, it started to really irritate me when she’d be judgmental toward someone random or jumped to constant conclusions.
And the jumping to conclusions in regard to Liam is constant. Basically their entire relationship is miscommunication. Now, Liam is pretty great. You can instantly tell that man has it bad for her. And he goes above and beyond for her. In their past, he doesn’t really flirt in a nice way i guess, so she always thought he was pranking her and makes a lot of conclusions about that too.
But it did lead me to questions that I kind of got answered at the very end, with his two POV chapters. At the start of the book, it’s been i think 5-6 years since they’ve last seen each other. She hasn’t been back home in that time, they haven’t knowingly kept in touch. I always question what takes a man so long to admit his feelings, and Liam had his own issues he needed to work through. But idk, the amount of time that passed without contact didn’t fully make sense to me if he’d been SO in love with her as he claimed.
In his POV chapter, we do see that after she leaves to Paris, he wants to try to forget her bc he’s unsure she’ll ever see him like he sees her. Which leads to the tiny bit of OW drama that occurs.
At a bachelorette party for her brothers fiancée, they run into Kylie, who was Liam’s FWB. Kylie mentions that she knew he was emotionally unavailable but convinced him to be her FWB and that the sex was great. 😐 I’m sorry, but in my romance books I don’t want it to be realistic and know about the H’s previous sex life. I get now that he never thought he’d have a chance with the fmc (BC OF MISCOMMUNICATION!!!) but still. At that point i thought he’d been pining for years (which he was). The fmc is disappointed bc she has so much pain that she can’t have pleasuring sex. Before this chapter, she tried with him and they had to stop bc she was in so much pain. So it was really just another cherry on top of their issues.
I just felt like there were so many other issues that were going to lead up to the third act break up, that this tidbit was unnecessary and it just made me really sad. Especially since she’s only had sex with one other guy, 5 years before this point, and was again in so much pain that nothing really happened.
I’m writing too much but I had a lot of feelings lol. Anyway, the ending was kinda cute but there’s months of separation that I didn’t love. I’m glad she finally got therapy, she desperately needed it to realize her chronic illness is not her. Sadly i think the character growth came a little too late.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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August 25, 2022
- Endometriosis/Chronic pain as a central theme.
- Toxic family dynamics (TW: infertility talk/comments, encouraging EDs, I’m-only-proud-of-you-if-you-do-what-I-say-when-I-say-so, narcissistic mother figure).
- Enemies-to-lovers with a past.
- Curvy FMC / Athletic af MMC
- Fake dating.
Evie is an American living in Paris, the city of her dreams, trying (and kind of failing) at being the pastry chef she’s always wanted to be. She has an awesome wedding planner roommate and life is going… well, it’s going. Evie also happens to have a disease called endometriosis, an uncurable condition that leaves her with chronic pain and an array of symptoms that make day to day life… interesting, to say the least. Interesting, different and, mostly painful. Now what’s a girl like Evie to do when, on her way to meeting a couple of friends for an afternoon delight (read doughnut), she bumps into her high-school-crush-turned-arch-nemesis and into a lamppost at the same time? Yeah, idk either.
This book was such an interesting read: fun at times, painfully true at others, ‘Finding Gene Kelly’ was both eye opening and mind settling. As a woman, I relate to many things that have made Evie’s health journey harder than it should’ve been. As a person with painful periods who have left them bed-ridden in the past, I can relate to some things experienced here as well, mostly in the social aspects of it. But, God, does endo suck. Not that I didn’t know before but reading about it in such detail was hard for multiple reasons, mainly because of the hopeless finality of it. There is no solution, just pain management, and no one is really scrambling to try to find a cure either. It’s an unacceptable truth, but it’s all there is. And for all the reasons that it was painful, it was also mind settling in the sense that reading about experiences like these validates and cements the voices of all others who feel like they’re drowning in the un-heard, un-seeing patients that are still looking for a diagnosis to their pain.
Now, there were many things in this book that did not work for me. The story is cute and I love the romance, but Evie is very a millennial, I’m-clumsy-and-quirky character to the point of feeling like she’s cursed, but it’s described as her being “accident-prone”. Seriously, it’s like every other scene, but she’s also kind of judgmental? Make that make sense. Liam is a dream, and I mean that literally. In a story so grounded into reality, it was hard to picture a man as perfectly thoughtful, sweet and caring as Liam, one that had held a candle for her for so long. His character felt flat: too fake, too perfect, especially when put against a character as well-rounded and complex as Evie. The miscommunication was also extremely annoying, an ongoing issue through most of the book.
That being said, this book is amazing in all the things it should and feels like a great entry into the world of diverse romances, which I can never get enough of and of which we definitely need more.
3/5 ⭐
*Thank you so much Net Galley for the eARC*
- Toxic family dynamics (TW: infertility talk/comments, encouraging EDs, I’m-only-proud-of-you-if-you-do-what-I-say-when-I-say-so, narcissistic mother figure).
- Enemies-to-lovers with a past.
- Curvy FMC / Athletic af MMC
- Fake dating.
Evie is an American living in Paris, the city of her dreams, trying (and kind of failing) at being the pastry chef she’s always wanted to be. She has an awesome wedding planner roommate and life is going… well, it’s going. Evie also happens to have a disease called endometriosis, an uncurable condition that leaves her with chronic pain and an array of symptoms that make day to day life… interesting, to say the least. Interesting, different and, mostly painful. Now what’s a girl like Evie to do when, on her way to meeting a couple of friends for an afternoon delight (read doughnut), she bumps into her high-school-crush-turned-arch-nemesis and into a lamppost at the same time? Yeah, idk either.
This book was such an interesting read: fun at times, painfully true at others, ‘Finding Gene Kelly’ was both eye opening and mind settling. As a woman, I relate to many things that have made Evie’s health journey harder than it should’ve been. As a person with painful periods who have left them bed-ridden in the past, I can relate to some things experienced here as well, mostly in the social aspects of it. But, God, does endo suck. Not that I didn’t know before but reading about it in such detail was hard for multiple reasons, mainly because of the hopeless finality of it. There is no solution, just pain management, and no one is really scrambling to try to find a cure either. It’s an unacceptable truth, but it’s all there is. And for all the reasons that it was painful, it was also mind settling in the sense that reading about experiences like these validates and cements the voices of all others who feel like they’re drowning in the un-heard, un-seeing patients that are still looking for a diagnosis to their pain.
Now, there were many things in this book that did not work for me. The story is cute and I love the romance, but Evie is very a millennial, I’m-clumsy-and-quirky character to the point of feeling like she’s cursed, but it’s described as her being “accident-prone”. Seriously, it’s like every other scene, but she’s also kind of judgmental? Make that make sense. Liam is a dream, and I mean that literally. In a story so grounded into reality, it was hard to picture a man as perfectly thoughtful, sweet and caring as Liam, one that had held a candle for her for so long. His character felt flat: too fake, too perfect, especially when put against a character as well-rounded and complex as Evie. The miscommunication was also extremely annoying, an ongoing issue through most of the book.
That being said, this book is amazing in all the things it should and feels like a great entry into the world of diverse romances, which I can never get enough of and of which we definitely need more.
3/5 ⭐
*Thank you so much Net Galley for the eARC*
September 24, 2022
"But sometimes, I wish people could help me out and make it so that in validating their pain, I don't feel like I'm diminishing my own."
If you're looking for a contemporary romance novel that has a little bit of everything, then this is it! With an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers dynamic, fake dating, the caregiver trope, a romantic Parisian setting full of tasty dessert descriptions, a touch of old-school Hollywood, and own voices chronic illness representation, this book has a little something for everyone.
I picked up this book primarily for the endometriosis representation but got so much more out of it. This is a great book to introduce those unfamiliar with the illness to the ever-evolving disease and just how debilitating it can be on a daily basis. While roughly 1 in 10 women lives with the disease, it's still such an isolating and lonely disease, especially when those around you don't understand the scope of it and pressure endo warriors with questions that can be sensitive to talk about. Believe me, I've been there and my life will never be the same since the disease started taking over my life. I'm here to tell you that you and your pain matter and that it shouldn't be normal. This book will validate you and your pain so much and I hope others can find comfort in it as I did.
Beyond the endo rep, the characters are so much fun. Evie is such a relatable and fun character with a clumsy side and a heart of gold. With her love of French pastries and passion for the world around her, she's so easy to love. As for Liam, you can't help but love him and his boy next door vibes. While they both start off a little rocky due to some touchy memories between the two of them from when they were younger, a little bit of pressure from Evie's brother and pushy mother brings together two that you can't help but feel like always belonged together. They're such a cute couple and I love how attentive Liam was towards Evie during her flare-ups. Now, where do I find my Liam?
This book is an absolute gem and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun contemporary romance book that sweeps you away to a romanticized Paris full of sugary pastries and all the Gene Kelly vibes!
Huge thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
If you're looking for a contemporary romance novel that has a little bit of everything, then this is it! With an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers dynamic, fake dating, the caregiver trope, a romantic Parisian setting full of tasty dessert descriptions, a touch of old-school Hollywood, and own voices chronic illness representation, this book has a little something for everyone.
I picked up this book primarily for the endometriosis representation but got so much more out of it. This is a great book to introduce those unfamiliar with the illness to the ever-evolving disease and just how debilitating it can be on a daily basis. While roughly 1 in 10 women lives with the disease, it's still such an isolating and lonely disease, especially when those around you don't understand the scope of it and pressure endo warriors with questions that can be sensitive to talk about. Believe me, I've been there and my life will never be the same since the disease started taking over my life. I'm here to tell you that you and your pain matter and that it shouldn't be normal. This book will validate you and your pain so much and I hope others can find comfort in it as I did.
Beyond the endo rep, the characters are so much fun. Evie is such a relatable and fun character with a clumsy side and a heart of gold. With her love of French pastries and passion for the world around her, she's so easy to love. As for Liam, you can't help but love him and his boy next door vibes. While they both start off a little rocky due to some touchy memories between the two of them from when they were younger, a little bit of pressure from Evie's brother and pushy mother brings together two that you can't help but feel like always belonged together. They're such a cute couple and I love how attentive Liam was towards Evie during her flare-ups. Now, where do I find my Liam?
This book is an absolute gem and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun contemporary romance book that sweeps you away to a romanticized Paris full of sugary pastries and all the Gene Kelly vibes!
Huge thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
September 3, 2022
Did I get emotional after finishing this book? Yes. Was I emotional in certain parts of the book? Hell yes, I was so close to bawling. In a good way of course.
I adore this book with all my heart. That cover? Absolutely gorgeous. I love it so much. It was one of the things that drew me to this book. I love the pun wars Evie and Liam exchanges, their history together (with Liam being a menace most of the time of course. But with good reason) and how understanding and gentle Liam is to Evie.
Man made me SWOON. How dare 😫
This is quite a heartwarming book, and while it doesn't shy away from the struggles that comes with endo, it's still fluffy and magical on its own. Not to mention the French pastries! The descriptions definitely made me crave for some to snack on while reading.
Highly recommended! One of my best reads of this year 💛
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
I adore this book with all my heart. That cover? Absolutely gorgeous. I love it so much. It was one of the things that drew me to this book. I love the pun wars Evie and Liam exchanges, their history together (with Liam being a menace most of the time of course. But with good reason) and how understanding and gentle Liam is to Evie.
Man made me SWOON. How dare 😫
This is quite a heartwarming book, and while it doesn't shy away from the struggles that comes with endo, it's still fluffy and magical on its own. Not to mention the French pastries! The descriptions definitely made me crave for some to snack on while reading.
Highly recommended! One of my best reads of this year 💛
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
June 8, 2023
This is a really fantastic, entertaining Adult Contemporary read. Highly recommended!
March 24, 2024
Я люблю такі ромкоми. Вони можливо не для всіх, але вони ідеально підходять для мене 😁. Люблю, коли в героїв є якась історія, не обовʼязково, щоб вони були знайомі, але щоб просто була якась своя особиста історія, бо вона додає персонажам глибини.
Головна героїня - на прізвисько Персик. Вона незвичайна на зовнішність, полюбляє солодке більше за життя, а ще вона має хворобу, яка заважає їй нормально жити, а особливо будувати стосунки. Вона постійно переживає якийсь біль 😢, і мені було так страшно за неї, неначе це був мій особистий біль, я переживала, що їй стане гірше або просто буде якийсь конфуз. Мені було шкода Еві, хотілося щоб така позитивна л��дина, яка не здається, нарешті знайшла своє щастя як в особистому так і в професійному руслі.
І звичайно, звичайно в нас є головний герой, він же Ліам. Я не здивована, що Еві його кохає з 5 років, бо він солодка булонька. Те, як він називає Еві - Персик,🍑 це було так мило, що в мене квіточки в душі розквітали кожен раз. А ще, сцена, яка потрапила мені в серце, там де Ліам допомогав Еві, коли в неї був приступ. Господи, це було настільки чуттєво, ніжно та турботливо 😭 Він просто 10 із 10. Вони мене розчулили своїми діалогами, бо в них було так багато юмору, спогадів і любові.
"Тобі доведеться збивати яєчні білки, поки вони не стануть твердими".
"Я буду збивати все, що ти захочеш", - каже він між важкими вдихами. 😏
5/5
Головна героїня - на прізвисько Персик. Вона незвичайна на зовнішність, полюбляє солодке більше за життя, а ще вона має хворобу, яка заважає їй нормально жити, а особливо будувати стосунки. Вона постійно переживає якийсь біль 😢, і мені було так страшно за неї, неначе це був мій особистий біль, я переживала, що їй стане гірше або просто буде якийсь конфуз. Мені було шкода Еві, хотілося щоб така позитивна л��дина, яка не здається, нарешті знайшла своє щастя як в особистому так і в професійному руслі.
І звичайно, звичайно в нас є головний герой, він же Ліам. Я не здивована, що Еві його кохає з 5 років, бо він солодка булонька. Те, як він називає Еві - Персик,🍑 це було так мило, що в мене квіточки в душі розквітали кожен раз. А ще, сцена, яка потрапила мені в серце, там де Ліам допомогав Еві, коли в неї був приступ. Господи, це було настільки чуттєво, ніжно та турботливо 😭 Він просто 10 із 10. Вони мене розчулили своїми діалогами, бо в них було так багато юмору, спогадів і любові.
"Тобі доведеться збивати яєчні білки, поки вони не стануть твердими".
"Я буду збивати все, що ти захочеш", - каже він між важкими вдихами. 😏
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